If you’ve got some Baileys leftover from your Christmas parties, there’s one thing you should absolutely never do with it – as experts say it can ‘wreak havoc’ on your home
There’s one thing you should never do with your bottle of Baileys.
Baileys is one of the most popular drinks during the festive season, and many of us will have an open bottle in our houses after the Christmas parties and family get-togethers of the last couple of days. But if you still have a bottle that needs finishing, experts have advised polishing it off quickly – as it can cause problems if you leave it for too long.
Unlike other alcohol which can last a long time once opened, Baileys has a shelf life of just six months once you’ve cracked open the top for the first time. So, you have between now and June to finish off whatever you’ve got left in your bottle before you need to get rid of it.
However, if you decide you’re sick of the creamy Irish liqueur already and don’t want to keep it, do not pour it down the sink. While tipping drinks down the sink so the bottle can easily be recycled is the standard procedure, you don’t want to do that with Baileys, as trade experts say it could “wreak havoc” with the pipes under your sink and cause serious blockages, tradesmen at MyBuilder.com explained.
They said: “Cream liqueur drinks, such as the popular Christmas favourite, Baileys, can be a problem for your plumbing at Christmas. While it may be delicious to drink, it doesn’t keep for long and often ends up down the sink.
“However, this sort of beverage should never be disposed of in this way. Cream liqueurs have a large fat content and as such fall into the category of FOG (Fats, Oils, and Greases). FOG should never go down the sink, as it sticks to pipes and can cause blockages. It’s also responsible for ‘fatbergs’ in our sewers.”
It isn’t just Baileys you have to watch out for this Christmas. If you’ve polished off your turkey and have some fat to get rid of, that is also classed as FOG, so it should not be poured down the sink. Experts said the issue with pouring these types of liquid down the drain is that when cool, they can harden and create a blockage in the pipes under your sink.
Meanwhile, if you need to dispose of old Baileys and want to know the safest way to do it, another expert previously recommended disposing of FOG liquids by sealing them in a container and popping them in your general waste bin. In the case of hot fat such as turkey fat, you will need to let it cool before disposing of it.
If you’re wondering about whether to pop Baileys into the fridge, one TikTok user shared his say on it – and apparently it could last longer than you think. The account holder, known as Big Bear, revealed: “You do not need to refrigerate Baileys if it’s open.” But it’s still worth finishing off quick over the festivities.
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